Minestrone

The Italians don’t just do pizza and pasta brilliantly, they also invented this comforting, wholesome soup. This version really is a meal in a bowl.

Ingredients

175g piece round pancetta

50ml olive oil

1 leek, trimmed, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 (200g) sebago potato, peeled, finely chopped

350g savoy cabbage, trimmed, cut into 1cm pieces

1 bay leaf

1.5L chicken or vegetable stock

2 x 400g cans Italian chopped tomatoes

175g ditali (see note) or other small soup pasta

400g can borlotti beans, rinsed, drained

2 tbs roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

12 basil leaves, torn

200g parmesan, finely grated

Step 1 – Remove rind from pancetta in one piece and reserve, then chop pancetta into small pieces. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low–medium heat, then add pancetta, leek, garlic, carrots, celery, potato, cabbage and bay leaf. Cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove lid.

Step 2 -Add reserved pancetta rind, stock and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in pasta and beans, increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cover, then reduce heat to low–medium and cook for a further 8 minutes or until pasta is al dente.

Step 3 – Remove and discard pancetta rind, then stir in parsley and basil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, scatter over parmesan and serve immediately.